Impact of Physical Activity on Participation and Quality of Life in Individuals who use Prostheses & Other Assistive Technology/Lower Extremity Prostheses versus Wheelchair for Functional Performance and Participation of Military and Veteran Personnel
Principle Investigator: Shirley Fitzgerald, Ph.D.
Funding Source: Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC)
April 1, 2006-March 31, 2007
These three projects will be completed primarily at the 20th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in Snowmass Colorado from April 3-7, 2006. The three projects encompass separate, yet inter-related themes: (1) participation and quality of life (Proposal: Impact of Physical Activity on Participation and Quality of Life in Individuals who Use Prostheses and other Assistive Technology; PI: Shirley G. Fitzgerald, PhD) (2) function (Proposal title: Lower Extremity Prostheses versus Wheelchairs for Functional Performance and Participation of Military and Veteran Personnel PI: Diane M. Collins, PhD) and (3) injury (Proposal title: Training, Experience, and Injuries in Prosthetic and other Adaptive Sports; PI: Brad Dicianno, MD). All proposals have a focus on individuals who use prostheses.
Sub-Proposal #1 Title:Impact of Physical Activity on Participation and Quality of Life in Individuals who Use Prostheses and other Assistive Technology
The primary objective of this pilot study is to examine individuals (e.g. individuals who use prosthetic devices) who participate in organized sporting events such as the Winter Sports Clinic and the National Wheelchair Games and to determine how participation in theses events are perceived to have impacted upon their life.
Sub-Project #2: Proposal Title: Lower Extremity Prostheses versus Wheelchairs for Functional Performance and Participation of Military and Veteran Personnel
In the U.S., approximately 1.2 million individuals have amputations, with the majority being lower extremity amputations. Further, most lower extremity amputations are acquired as a result of diabetes-related dysvascularization. Across all age ranges, between approximately 29.6% and 35.4% use a prosthetic limb.
Expense and frequency of fitting and obtaining lower extremity prostheses are high, as some lower extremity prostheses, with an expected fatigue life of two years, cost as much as $50,000. Further, the relationship between personal characteristics, prostheses performance characteristics, and prostheses use in functional performance and participation are not well documented. The outcomes of the proposed study will be to identify these factors which could be crucial factors in prescription of lower extremity prostheses, appropriate prescription and training with wheelchairs, and also in rehabilitation of lower extremity amputations.
Though premature abandonment of assistive technology is a well-documented problem, little is known about the abandonment of lower extremity prostheses. Therefore, data to calculate the frequency of lower extremity prosthesis abandonment in the study sample will be collected as well as those factors contributing to wheelchair use in lieu of prostheses or other assistive devices.
Sub-Proposal Title #3: Training, Experience, and Injuries in Prosthetic and other Adaptive Sports
The primary objective of this study is to examine individuals with disabilities who participate in organized sporting events such as the National Veterans Winter Sports Clinic and the National Veterans Wheelchair Games to determine the rates and types of injuries sustained previous to and during the events and how participation in particular training programs, previous sports experience, and nutritional programs may affect injury.
The research questions which will be addressed include:
• What are the types and locations of injuries sustained in these specific events?
• Do injury symptoms occur or reoccur during competition, training, or in daily activities?
• Are there any differences between those who sustain injuries and those who do not with
regard to their training programs and adaptive equipment?
• Does sports experience impact the rate or type of injury?
• What is the effect of nutrition, weight, and supplementation on injury?